The Space Between
by queenfluffernutter
Summary: Gwen accepted the gift of the Retcon-laced champagne at her wedding - now what?
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER:** For those of you who do not know yet - I don't own anything but the words on the page.

She had seen him before, she knew it, she just couldn't place his face. He had a swagger that would be hard to forget - at least in Gwen's case.

She shook the thought from her mind and turned back to Rhys. He was such a plain man, very much like Andy had kidded her about, once she had seen this other man - the man in the wonderful wool greatcoat. Rhys smiled at her and she grinned back. But she could feel the man still looking at her, standing still and at-the-ready as he did so. She chanced a look and her guess was confirmed.

Jack stood watching her, not caring who saw, especially Rhys. His hands were jammed in his pockets; his coat flapped ever-so-slightly in the breeze. How could he be expected to forget a woman like her? Why did she take the Retcon he'd offered the happy couple at the wedding so quickly? He ached to be able to ask her.

She was lookng at him now and he could not help but smile. That famous Harkness Grin. The one that had driven Gwen mad not-that-long-ago. Why had she chosen Rhys over him? Why had he gone with the Doctor? He could have stayed for Gwen - or Ianto. Why had he returned, anyway? His heart was orn by the 'whys' bouncing around in his head.

She had turned from him now and turned to Rhys, that lucky bastard. But he had Ianto - didn't he? He couldn't have both - could he? Damn Rhys! Damn the Doctor! Damn Gwen! Damn Jack himself!

It was all he could do to keep from closing the distance between them. Sure, it had been two years now and he and Ianto were living together in a little flat not far from here. Not that that was going so well - Ianto had met a cute woman named Erin who was closer to his age down at the gym who had quickly become his new exercise partner. Jack couldn't help but suspect that she was becoming more. Ianto had never been so adament about fitness - even going so far as to switch to decaf when he drank coffee at all! Not that Jack was complaining about the fit part, mind you. He was, however, afraid of losing him and being alone again.

Jack was snapped out of his daymare by a ball boucing toward him. A cheery little girl bounded behind it - followed by Gwen. His eyes met the toddler's for a brief moment before arms closed around her. She smiled a sincere smile and Jack could see that she not only shared her mother's eyes, but the gap between her teeth that Jack found so incredibly cute.

"I'm sorry," Gwen started, then looked up, giving Jack a clear look down her shirt - which he didn't miss, "Suzie doesn't know the meaning of the word stranger." She froze. It was the man who had been watching them - watching her. Closer to him now, she looked closely. He reminded her of someone in her past, just out of reach on the tip of her memory.

He stared back, unblinking, hoping something would click in her brain and she would rush into his arms. He would whisk her away and be done with it; he had decided that already a few months back.

"You're..." She started, but was cut off by a small Asian woman with beautiful black hair done neatly into a bun.

"Jack!" the woman clicked up to him. "We're going to be late, dear!" She fussed over his shirt and adjusted his braces.

The man looked from one woman to the other before letting himself be lead away. "What was that about?!" He hissed at Tosh, trying to steal a backwards glance at Gwen the whole time she was leading him away.

"I was watching you on CCTV. Leave her be, Jack. She's happy. She has a family." Tosh warned him as best she could.

"But she..." Jack stopped when Tosh gave him "the look". "Okay." His mood changed. "What's for lunch? Ianto back yet?"

They were to the lift when Tosh finally answered. "Ianto said he's going to be longer at the gym - we ordered takeaway as per usual. Should we save him some?"

Jack looked at the ground to compose himself before answering her. Wouldn't do for her to see him lose it now. "No - he will have eaten. Let's go before Owen feeds it all to Myfanwy..."

The friends laughed and Jack cursed his rotten luck. Two in one day? How could this day get any worse?


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER – So don't own the Torchwood crew. And I know I said this was a one shot, but the plot bunny came and shat in my shoe and I put my foot in before looking – please enjoy!**

Gwen tucked Suzie in and kissed her on the cheek before turning out the light on her bedside table. "'Night, darling. Sweet dreams."

The little girl grinned up at her mother and sighed into the pillow. Gwen couldn't help but think that she looked so much like she herself had looked at that age. The girl hardly looked like her dad at all, something Rhys often joked that was a trait that was a good thing.

"How's the Princess?" Rhys asked as Gwen sank into the couch beside him.

"Tired, like her mam." She put her feet on the table in front of her. "Rhys, did you know that man at the park today?"

He put his arm around her as she leaned into him. "No idea, why?"

She shook her head. "Nothing." But it wasn't nothing. She _knew_ she had seen him somewhere before, but couldn't place him. And that really bothered Gwen. She was sure that she would remember someone who looked like him. Any girl – and probably guy – would! "Are you sure?"

"Yes, love. Are you worried? You could call some of your mates on the force to watch him – like Andy – if you're concerned." Rhys tried to soothe her.

"No, that's fine." She closed her eyes for a moment and saw the man in the coat, standing, watching her. Her eyes popped open. "Rhys – where is the wedding album?"

"Where it always is – why?" He watched her struggle to sit up.

"I'll be back." She talked to him even as she was leaving the room.

"What is wrong with you?" He twisted to look at her.

"Nothing, Rhys, I told you."

"Gwen, you haven't thought about looking at that dusty old thing for years now. Why all of a sudden?"

"Rhys – leave it. I want to see something. I was talking to Marie today about flowers for her wedding and couldn't remember what kind we had is all..." Gwen lied, blowing him a kiss.

She left him in the living room watching television and went to the closet, where she had put the big photo album they had gotten as a gift so many years ago. It was there, along with drawings Suzie had done, all collecting dust. She pulled it down and went to sit on the bed. She looked at pictures of the ceremony, wishing that the ones from her getting ready had turned out. Something had happened to the film or something, no one really knew for sure. But the photographer had felt so bad that the ones that did turn out he had given them for free. She was about to give up when she saw it – in the back, off to the side, there was half of a long coat – half of the man who had been watching her. She took the picture from the page and put it on the bedside stand, hearing Rhys coming down the hall.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" He asked, dropping onto the bed beside her.

"Yeah," she smiled down at him. "I'll take this one into her tomorrow to show her."

"Good." Rhys was drifting off, even as he said it.

"Yeah – really good," Gwen agreed, not giving up on the idea that she knew that man from _somewhere_.


End file.
